Dow Jones Drops 400 Points After Trump Reveals New Tariffs for China

After US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US will hike tariffs on goods imported from China, Wall Street will start the week with a sharp selloff, as investor optimism about the possible conclusion of a trade deal with China in the near future has faded.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures lost 400 points after falling as much as 479 points earlier Sunday evening. S&P 500 futures dropped 1.3% shortly after their open Sunday evening, while Nasdaq-100 Index futures dropped 1.5%.

The drop came after Trump indicated on Twitter that the current 10% levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods will rise to 25% on Friday. He also threatened to impose 25% tariffs on an additional $325 billion of Chinese goods “shortly.” The two largest economies were reportedly close to a resolution of their trade battle, with negotiations set to resume on Wednesday. However, the president noted that progress is moving “too slowly” as China tries to re-negotiate the terms of the deal.

….of additional goods sent to us by China remain untaxed, but will be shortly, at a rate of 25%. The Tariffs paid to the USA have had little impact on product cost, mostly borne by China. The Trade Deal with China continues, but too slowly, as they attempt to renegotiate. No!

​According to CNBC, some Wall Street insiders are worried about the effect on the US equity market, fresh off record highs.

“Another turn of the screw tighter Sunday from the President’s hard-ball tactics with the China trade talks and his pair of tweets look like they could unleash a sharp stock market correction,” said Chris Rupkey, a chief financial economist at MUFG Union Bank, in a note. “For weeks now markets have been lulled to sleep on the US trade war with China thinking an agreement was imminent. No more.”